Pinellas homeless shelter unveils new apartments

Pinellas Hope, a homeless shelter, announced today the opening of 80 new permanent efficiency apartments.

The shelter on 126th Avenue North already houses more than 250 people in temporary tents and small wooden sheds. Catholic Charities runs the project with the help of money from county and city governments and donations.

The newest addition, called Pinellas Hope II, cost about $4 million and was constructed on 17 acres behind the existing campus, leased to Catholic Charities from the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Pinellas County, as well as the cities of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Largo, contributed $1 million for construction. The remaining $3 million came from a state housing grant.

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster said the city is fully committed to supporting Pinellas Hope financially.

"The city of St. Petersburg has the largest homeless population of any city in the county and we need Pinellas Hope to assist us in helping people get off the streets," Foster said.

The efficiency apartments will be open to anyone in the county on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must meet low-income requirements and be able to pay rent.

Bryan Middleton hopes to live in one of the units. He is an out-of-work carpenter who fell on hard times and came to live in one of the tents at Pinellas Hope five months ago.

"Not everybody out here is career homeless," he said. "There's a lot of people who have lost their houses, have lost their jobs, and ended up here."

Bishop Robert N. Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg was on hand today to bless the new buildings.

He said the apartments are the next logical step in the development of the facility.

Pinellas Hope opened about three years ago as a temporary camp for the homeless. And in that time it has served about 2,300 people and has a 55 percent success rate. The organization bases its success rate on when a person is either living self-sufficiently or with family.

"We're not totally successful here. But for those who really work on their recovery and rehabilitation and get jobs, they need transitional housing," Lynch said.

Pinellas Hope II also includes a community center with a recreation room, laundry room and restrooms. It will also house rooms for social service programs such as classes on employment readiness and financial management.

Pinellas Hope II plans to begin accepting applications next month.